Comic Review: Star vs the Forces of Evil – Deep Trouble (Issue #4)

Wow! It seems like just the other day I purchased issue #3, and now a few weeks later, we get issue #4 of the Star vs the Forces of Evil comic series!? Maybe this release is due to the delay getting the second issue out?

Needless to say, torrential rain couldn’t keep me from picking up the latest issue at my local comic store, as we near the half-way mark of the 8-part comic mini-series, under the main story title of Deep Trouble.

Now, let’s dive into our review of issue #4’s story, Cat’s Pajamas.

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Following the run-around that Glossaryck of Terms took us on last issue, Star Butterfly and Marco Diaz visit Flying Princess Pony Head in her jail cell, and explain that they need her phone/compact. As suggested by Glossaryck, it may contain clues as to why Pony Head has been imprisoned in The Waterfolk Domain.

Pony Head tells the two that she last saw it in The Dimension of Cats with Human Faces. Star sets off with Marco in tow, and ends up bringing along his two school friends, Alfonso and Ferguson (along with a few, cute surprises!).

Pretty soon, the group is knee-deep in cats (which isn’t good for Marco, who has a severe cat allergy!).

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Wow…now this was a very entertaining story!

After issue #1, I was a little let down at the structure of issues 2 and 3. Fortunately, it seems this issue returns us to the main task at hand, in trying to find out who framed Pony Head.

Plus, the writing and pacing of this issue is fast and entertaining, making me happy to go back and read it several times over!

This issue is more like an undercover mission, so there isn’t a whole lot of funny scenarios with Star and Marco, though their characters seem right on the money (even if Marco is largely not enjoying the events of the story). Much like Marco’s negativity towards wet socks in one segment of the TV series, I can totally get behind his exasperation with cat allergies here.

Much like issue #2, we visit a domain that was mentioned in the TV series, but not fully-explored. In the season 1 segment titled Freeze Day, we got the vaguest of hints at what (horrors) lay in The Dimension of Cats with Human Faces. However, the one cat we saw on the show, may have been an exception, as most of the ones depicted here, seem pretty normal in their appearance (well, as normal as a cat with a human face can look).

According to illustrator Devin Taylor on his Twitter feed, almost all the cats we see in this other dimension, are caricatures of some of the crew that work on the television series! Unfortunately, I’m not good with faces, so I’ll leave it up to the more Twitter-obsessed Star fans to figure that stuff out.

One fun cameo I do want to point out, is the brief appearance of the Ruler of Purrkistan, Cashew (as seen on the right).

This is a fun joke/reference, as Cashew’s human face is a caricature of the series’ creator, Daron Nefcy. Plus, the name Cashew, derives from Nefcy’s own pet cat, AND a pet cat that appeared in her early comics of Star Butterfly, before she developed the DisneyXD series!

As Season 2 of the show has gone on, many of the fans who watched Season 1, have been perplexed at the absence of Marco’s two friends, who went on a few inter-dimensional adventures with our two leads, way-back-when (they also make a fun reference to one of them!).

Ferguson and Alfonso don’t play a big role, but they do lend a hand here or there, as the story goes on. In a sense, the madcap romp through this dimension (with them along for the ride), almost reminded me of the Season 1 segment, Pixtopia. In this case however, Cat’s Pajamas is much ‘tighter’ with the story it’s telling, and it feels for all intents and purposes, like a TV segment treatment, re-purposed for the comic series. Plus, there’s a pretty entertaining deus ex machina, despite my usual dislike of such things.

Overall, I can’t find much wrong with Cat’s Pajamas. It doesn’t hit you hard with the comedy, but the story is one of the most solid so far, and, there is the fun factor of hidden easter eggs, as well as references to things you’ve seen, if you’re an avid fan of the TV series.

Also surprising, is that it doesn’t feel like there’s a wasted frame or word balloon in the piece. Out of all the wacky adventures chronicled so far in the comic series, this is one that I highly recommend picking up!

Final Rating for Issue #4: A

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Though cover art for issue #4 has been out already, there has been no information released regarding issue’s 5-8. So far, the only word about comics-related future releases, is an ad in the back of issue #4, telling of a comics collection coming next month. My guess is this will collect the first four issues.

Plus, at the end of this issue, there’s a small glimpse of a familiar food truck from Season 2, selling a rare and very tasty inter-dimensional treat. Looks like we may be seeing the return of a questionable little goblin in the near future.

About MWH1980

Growing up in the state of Iowa, one would assume I'd be enamored with pigs and corn. Well, I wasn't. Instead, I grew fascinated by many things that were entertainment-related. Things like movies, animation, toys, books, and many more kept my attention. This blog I hope to use to express myself regarding my varied obsessions. (P.S. There's no Photoshop involved in that Gravatar-I really am holding an Oscar)